Much of Tomlin's research concentrates on aeronautical applications of
hybrid systems research, particularly aircraft flight control and air
traffic conflict resolution. As the number of variables increases and
their interactions become more complex, it becomes ever more difficult
to guarantee that systems will always be within safe limits. Tomlin
has developed practical algorithms for determining when unsafe
conditions may arise, and for establishing feedback control laws for a
hybrid system guaranteed to remain within a safe subset of all
reachable states.

7 comments:

The selection of the geniuses (cryptography, aeronautics, ...) reminds me the next quote of famous applied mathematician VI Arnold.--All mathematics is divided into three parts: cryptography (paid for by CIA, KGB and the like), hydrodynamics (supported by manufacturers of atomic submarines) and celestial mechanics (financed by military and by other institutions dealing with missiles, such as NASA.).

All mathematics is divided into three parts: cryptography (paid for by CIA, KGB and the like), hydrodynamics (supported by manufacturers of atomic submarines) and celestial mechanics (financed by military and by other institutions dealing with missiles, such as NASA.).

That's really witty! You might have THOUGHT that mathematics is divided into algebra, analysis, and geometry. But no, in case any one was suspicious that mathematics lacks military applications, it ACTUALLY divides into cryptography, hydrodynamics, and celestial mechanics!

Of all the MacArthur fellows this year, electrical engineer Jim Fruchterman has arguably embraced the single most world-changing idea, namely, the innovative ownership structure of his Benetech Foundation.

Benetech is a nonprofit foundation whose main asset is its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, the engineering consulting company Benengineering.

There's precedent for this trusted owneership mode (e.g., the Stanford Research Institute's sole ownership of the Sarnoff Corporation), but Dr. Fruchterman's foundation is pushing this model into new realms.